What is a cutter pitch? When we think of a cutter, we often think of two men facing off at the plate. But the cutter is a pitch that is less about a pitcher facing a batter. It is often thrown in a power pitcher’s arsenal to throw off hitters and get them out.  A cutter is also most often thrown in the zone to try to get a batter thrown out, or to keep a hitter off of the outside part of the plate.
What is a Cutter / What Does it Do?
How to Grip / Throw a Cutter Pitch?
The catcher is looking for movement in the catcher’s target zone. He is checking to see if the catcher’s target zone is in between the pitcher’s index and middle fingers rather than below or above it. If the catcher’s target zone is below or above the index and middle fingers, the pitch is almost certainly going to be called a ball. If the catcher’s target zone is between the pitcher’s index and middle fingers, a change of pace in the catcher’s target zone might occur and could result in a strike.
How Similar is the Pitch to Other Pitches?
Pitchers could be more successful with a cutter because of the different break, but it requires more effort. The cut is difficult to control because it’s more likely to fly away from the pitcher as opposed to staying in the zone. The different direction of the cut can allow a pitcher to get a hitter out by either throwing a fastball or throwing the cutter and hitting a batter on the outside corner.
The Best Cutter Pitchers in Baseball History
For a long time, Mariano Rivera’s Hall of Fame case was an underwhelming one, and one of the reasons why was the fact that his cutter was mediocre at best. However, by 2013, with the New York Yankees in the playoffs, teams were giving Rivera gifts in acknowledgment of an all-time great season. The Minnesota Twins, for example, made Rivera a wooden rocking chair made out of broken bats.
Outside of Mariano Rivera, there are a lot of great pitchers who have good cutters. Below are some of the best pitchers in the game who have a really good cutter.
Why Did Rivera Break So Many Bats with the Cutter?
Rivera had only three pitches in his arsenal – a fastball, a curveball, and a cutter. And he was extremely adept at mixing his pitches to keep the hitters guessing. His cutter would have very late break, so as it was traveling towards the batter, would break into a curveball. Batters would generally go after the fastball or curve since they would be able to see the pitch coming in a split second and they would know where the curveball would likely break.
Conclusion on the Cutter Pitch
In any game, the batter needs to be able to hit a cutoff throw, ground ball, fly out, or home run. I’m sure that you all know that. However, it is important that a pitcher be able to throw a cutter pitch to the batter that allows for the hitter to get out, or the pitcher to keep the hitter off balance.
